EXTENDING ARTICLE 50

That this House believes the Government must seek an extension to Article 50 to avoid a damaging no deal Brexit; recalls that the transition period was once imagined as a period during which businesses and the Government would have two years to prepare for a new regime; sees now that it is clear the transition will not be a transition at all, but will instead be used by the Government to hash out the terms of a trade deal; notes with alarm that many aspects of the withdrawal agreement remain unresolved, including the Irish border question; foresees there to be further disagreement between the EU and the UK on the terms of final trade; further believes the UK must not be wrenched out of the EU without a deal if time runs out, thereby subjecting the economy to the hardships of WTO trading; recognises with alarm that the transition deal, as it stands, will mean abiding by all EU rules and regulations, without having a voice in setting those rules, the exact opposite of taking back control; deplores the reckless choice of the Tory Government to trigger Article 50 without any plan or proposed model for Brexit; condemns the Labour Party’s decision to follow suit; and calls on the Government to seek an extension to Article 50 as recommended by the Department for Exiting the European Union Select Committee in its report.